Turning and turning in the widening gyre The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all convictions, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity.

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The middle is neither hot nor cold; let's call it lukewarm or tepid.
That's a great description of the majority of the Bishops; lukewarm or tepid.
There are no books written about the "GREAT MIDDLE."

Posted by: -
Nov. 18, 2004 5:19 PM ET USA

The center he talks about is +/- 1 standard deviation from the center. That center is a statistical data point in a temporally varying function not an anchor of truth. It brings to mind Mark Twain's: "there are lies, damn lies, and then there are statistics".

Posted by: Vincit omnia amor -
Nov. 18, 2004 1:29 PM ET USA

excellent and appropriate perspective Phil. This comment by the oft quoted and never camera shy Card. McCarrick reminds me of Our Blessed Lord's teaching on lukewarmness.
Heaven help us!

Posted by: Pseudodionysius -
Nov. 18, 2004 1:01 PM ET USA

"McCarrick's Enron Ecclesiology"
Trademark pending.

Posted by: -
Nov. 18, 2004 10:37 AM ET USA

I watched part of NCCB meeting on EWTN. How discouraging. Committees, letters, reports, remanding to committee, studies, votes, temporizing. Amazing - the Bishops acutally seem to think 'marriage is important and under attack.' They really 'discovered a 40% drop in church weddings in the last 30 yrs. and need a program to attack the problem, but it will take preparation, studies and reports.' (Darn, I thought they found out about marriage in the seminary.) I say, a plague on the NCCB.

Posted by: -
Nov. 18, 2004 10:25 AM ET USA

I am not proud that the "center" is holding. Cardinal McCarrick words are a self condemnation on the majority of the Bishops. The question is how long will this be tolerated, and I dont mean by men.

Posted by: patriot6908 -
Nov. 18, 2004 10:02 AM ET USA

Why do I have the feeling that the "rough beast" slouching along vaguely resembles his Episcopalian Excellency, Bishop Robsinson?